This is an article in the continuing series, “Fun with Magic”, where I examine spells from the D20 System Reference Document, which corresponds to spells from the Player’s Handbook v. 3.5. These spells are in almost every campaign and form the foundation of spells used in Yön. Each article demonstrates strengths and weaknesses of a particular spell and some unique applications for each, to the limit of the author’s imagination, such as it is.
Animal Growth
Transmutation
Level: Drd 5, Rgr 4, Sor/Wiz 5
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Targets: Up to one animal (Gargantuan or smaller) per two levels, no two of which can be more than 30 ft. apart
Duration: 1 min./level
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
A number of animals grow to twice their normal size and eight times their normal weight. This alteration changes each animal’s size category to the next largest, grants it a +8 size bonus to Strength and a +4 size bonus to Constitution (and thus an extra 2 hit points per HD), and imposes a –2 size penalty to Dexterity. The creature’s existing natural armor bonus increases by 2. The size change also affects the animal’s modifier to AC and attack rolls and its base damage. The animal’s space and reach change as appropriate to the new size, but its speed does not change.
The spell also grants each subject damage reduction 10/magic and a +4 resistance bonus on saving throws. If insufficient room is available for the desired growth, the creature attains the maximum possible size and may make a Strength check (using its increased Strength) to burst any enclosures in the process. If it fails, it is constrained without harm by the materials enclosing it—the spell cannot be used to crush a creature by increasing its size.
All equipment worn or carried by an animal is similarly enlarged by the spell, though this change has no effect on the magical properties of any such equipment.
Any enlarged item that leaves the enlarged creature’s possession instantly returns to its normal size.
The spell gives no means of command or influence over the enlarged animals.
Multiple magical effects that increase size do not stack.
This spell is most useful to druids, since they can both cast this spell and easily call up animals through the use of
summon nature’s ally spells, which they can cast spontaneously as necessary. However, a cleric can prepare
summon nature’s ally while a wizard casts the
animal growth spell. If you don't think this is worth doing, see what happens to elephants after you increase their size category. The altered stats of the enlarged version are in
red.
-
Elephant: CR 7; Huge Animal; HD 11d8+55; hp 104; Init +0; Spd 40 ft.; AC 15 (–2 size, +7 natural), touch 8, flat-footed 15; Base Atk +8; Grp +26; Atk +16 melee (gore 2d8+15); Full Atk +16 melee (gore 2d8+15); Space/Reach 15 ft./10 ft.; SA trample 2d8+15 (Reflex (Str) half DC 25); SQ low-light vision, scent; AL N; SV Fort +12, Ref +7, Will +6; Str 30, Dex 10, Con 21, Int 3, Wis 13, Cha 7.
Skills and Feats: Listen +12, Spot +10; Alertness, Endurance, Iron Will, Skill Focus (Listen).
-
Elephant, enlarged: CR 7; Gargantuan Animal; HD 11d8+55; hp 126; Init –1; Spd 40 ft.; AC 14 (–4 size, –1 Dex, +9 natural), touch 5, flat-footed 14; Base Atk +8; Grp +34; Atk +18 melee (gore 4d6+21); Full Atk +18 melee (gore 4d6+21); Space/Reach 20 ft./15 ft.; SA trample 4d6+21 (Reflex (Str) half DC 29); SQ damage reduction 10/magic, low-light vision, scent; AL N; SV Fort +18, Ref +10, Will +10; Str 38, Dex 8, Con 25, Int 3, Wis 13, Cha 7.
Skills and Feats: Listen +12, Spot +10; Alertness, Endurance, Iron Will, Skill Focus (Listen).
Remember, the spell can affect more than one animal, so if, for example, you use a summon nature’s ally VII or VIII spell to summon multiple elephants, you can affect them all with a single animal growth spell. An instant herd of enlarged elephants, each trampling everything in a swath 20 feet wide by 80 feet long (the double move of an elephant) for a minimum of 25 points, DC 29 Reflex save for half…that’s just nasty. And if you move them up to trample the same critters…that’s just nastier.
I’ll leave the effect of this spell with a group of summoned dire lions as an exercise for evil minds.
The reason that a wizard or other arcane spell caster can’t use this with summon monster spells is that all animals that he summons have either the celestial or fiendish template applied, which changes their type from Animal to Magical Beast. Animal growth only affects creatures of the Animal type.